(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Darb Al Saai in Al Saad, the traditional venue of National Day celebrations, yesterday opened to the public.
The Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani attended the opening of the celebrations.
He viewed cultural and heritage performances, including Ardha, listened to Qatari chants and toured stalls displaying handicrafts made by Qatari productive families.
The opening ceremony started with patriotic poems rendered by children while participants hoisted the Qatari flag in an expression of unity and loyalty to the homeland as the national anthem played in the background.
Al Timba, a popular Arabic football contest, was held on a sandy playground in which school teams took part. There was also a shooting competition and game in which visitors, mostly children, were taught the basics of shooting.
People visited Al Shaqab showcasing horses and camels and were taught how to ride horses.
Among government institutions that participated on the first day included Social Development Centre with fun activities for the family and a traditional Arabic kitchen.
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) launched a campaign to raise awareness about heart diseases, offered free tests for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index in addition to an anti-smoking campaign.
The Traffic Department conducted workshops on road safety.
It showed traffic videos to children and offered video games like car simulation to promote a safe driving culture.
Mowasalat held video simulations for cars and aircraft which attracted many children.
A special programme to raise awareness about the environment among children and teach them about recycling of paper and plastic was held by the Ministry of Environment.
Children were invited to drawing and painting competitions to highlight the need to preserve the environment and related topics.
Activities continue until December 20, with addition of two days from last year. Celebrations are being held from 8am to noon and 6pm to 8pm.
This year's National Day celebrations see the participation of Karwa, Qatar Rail, Qatar Airways, Qatar Foundation, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and other government entities.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.